Macklemore says he was dropped from Ed Sheeran's stadium tour over Free Palestine remarks

Macklemore says he has been removed as an opener from Ed Sheeran's stadium tour after New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft threatened to block him from Gillette Stadium and rallied other stadium owners to do the same. He detailed the removal in an Instagram statement on September 14, shortly after news of the drop broke. Sheeran's team has not commented.

Earlier this month, opening for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Macklemore voiced support for a free Palestine. The Israeli American Council petitioned Sheeran to drop him. P!NK and Boy George also criticized him publicly. Macklemore says the remarks are the same he has made on stages worldwide for almost three years.

Macklemore says Sheeran told him the words and the Palestinian flag were hurtful to people he had spoken with, and that he could not get past a public stance of not taking sides. “Ed was in a fucked up position,” Macklemore said.

No replacement opener or updated routing has been announced.